11 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Weight Watchers

You see the little "Points" labels all throughout your grocery store, but what do you really know about Weight Watchers? As one of America's most popular diet brands, it's truly a household name with a long — 52 years! — history.

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1. It was founded by Jean Nidetch, a Brooklyn homemaker.

When Nidetch decided to lose weight, she tried various fad programs until she eventually lost 20 pounds following a New York City Board of Health sponsored diet. When she found it was getting difficult to keep pushing herself, she decided to create a support group with other friends of hers who wished to drop pounds. Oh, and Nidetch was 40 when she started Weight Watchers in 1963 — proof that you don't need to be a fresh-faced kid straight out of college to come up with a brilliant, innovative idea.

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2. You can attend meetings in New Zealand.

Now, a little over half a century after it began, you can find a Weight Watchers meeting pretty much anywhere in the United States — but it's not just limited to North America. Weight Watchers has programs in 20 countries, including Brazil, France, and South Africa. So if you're trying to get support while traveling abroad, you can drop into a meeting and maybe even meet some locals.

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3. There are more than 36,000 meetings a week.

That's a whole lot of meetings — and heck of a lot of support. Members discuss healthy eating tips, exercise, and behavioral changes that are necessary to attaining a healthier lifestyle.

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4. It has more members than most major cities have residents.

While your favorite celebrity might be drinking lemon and cayenne or doing 30-day juice cleanses, it's no secret that those diets aren't feasible for most people. Meanwhile, Weight Watchers has over a million members — that's more than the population of San Francisco!

5. The famous Points system is relatively new.

Points, the system that Weight Watchers is now most famous for, where dieters are allotted a certain number of points for food and exercise, was actually introduced in 1997. Now, when you walk into any grocery store, there are sure to be products with the Points label on them — no more guesswork required.

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6. Its brand ambassadors have ranged from royals to television moguls.

You may have seen ads featuring celebrities Jennifer Hudson and Jessica Simpson. But did you know its most famous spokesperson, Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, endorsed the brand for an impressive 11 years? In fact, she once told the Telegraph that the program "literally saved [her] life." Now, American television royalty has joined the movement, with Oprah recently announcing her partnership with Weight Watchers.

7. It's not just for women.

While marketing efforts were mostly focused on women in the beginning, it's now helped countless men drop pounds, too — even pro athletes. Former NBA player Charles Barkley reportedly lost an impressive 42 pounds from his 6'5" frame while on the program. "Men don't talk about dieting and losing weight, but they should," Barkley said of the program. "Losing weight is better if you've got people around you who can keep you motivated."

8. Weight Watchers was ranked the number one weight loss program of 2015.

According to a ranking done by U.S. News with a panel of health and nutrition experts, Weight Watchers is the number one diet program for weight loss in the United States based on effectiveness, health risks, and ease. And on top of that, it's profitable: in 2014, the Wall Street Journal reported that the company made a whopping $30.8 million.

10. Your average weight loss per month depends on how often you show up.

A 2010 study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine showed that participants who attended at least two-thirds of their meetings over the course of six months showed the most success in their weight loss goals, losing 14 pounds and experiencing a "dramatic change" in their glucose and insulin levels. In short, working the program helps the program work for you.

11. It's officially gone digital.

Numerous unaffiliated companies have attempted to create companion apps for the program, but Weight Watchers now has an official way to help you track your Points and health wirelessly. The company joined up with Philips to launch ActiveLink 2.0, a wearable and syncable monitor that tracks your activity and sleep so you won't overestimate your exercise output — and therefore won't accidentally eat way more than you should.